{Gavin 14 Months}

Dear my sweet G,

Today you are 14 months old. That number just seems so big. I can't really say to people that you are "a year" anymore because you are not. You are much older than a year;) Everywhere we go people comment on "how cute" you are, and we agree. People also tell us that you need to be a "baby model" and we agree with that too. If only we lived in LA:) You are such a little people person. You walk up to complete strangers and "talk" to them. You will let people pick you up, and most of the time you will put your arms up because you want them to hold you. It is quite funny, but I just sit back and watch...and you are the center of attention wherever we go. You are also the biggest mooch in the whole world. You always want whatever food anyone else is eating. You walk up to them, and "tell" them you want a bite. I can't take you anywhere without you wanting whatever food someone has OR toys. You want it all. We are working on this issue! You know exactly what you want and when you want it. Gone are the days where we can just hide something or distract you. You are a smart little boy, and you don't give up easily. Some would say you are stubborn, (ahem) like your momma. Just the other day you threw your first real tantrum at the museum. Someone else was playing with your favorite toy...the tea kettle. We removed you from the situation (otherwise you would just keep trying to grab it from him) and you kept running back to it. Finally when you realized that we would not let you get to it, you laid down with your head in between my knees and sobbed. Very pathetic. The poor boy who was playing with it felt bad eventually, and brought it to you. OH LORD, what will the terrible two's bring? Each and every day you do something new, and it is so fun to be your momma. We are having the time of our lives:)

Your sleep has regressed back to what it used to be when you were about 9 months old...meaning you are again waking up at 4am and screaming. Your bedtime has been later the past few weeks, and you are now going to bed at 8pm. You sleep straight to 4am and then wake up and scream. Most days you will go back to bed after I get up with you. This too shall pass...in the mean time, your momma has been napping a little bit during the day too...You still nap at 9am and 2 or 3pm, and most days these naps are about 2 hours. Until you sleep a little better at night, you need these naps:)

You are an eating machine. You eat eat eat all day long. Big meals, and lots of snacks. You want WHATEVER we have, and there is no sneaking food around you. You know when we are chewing, and want whatever it is. Some would think that we starve you. We really don't. You eat more than most kids I know. For the past month or so I have had dairy in my diet and you have been fine. No rashes, and no tummy-aches. (You are still nursing in the am and pm, and a few times a day) You have had pancakes made with milk, and a few bites of cheese. Again, so problems so far! We will take the dairy slowly, and hope for the sensitivity to be GONE!

As far as your activity? Well, lets just say that our nick-name for you is monkey. You walk, run, jump, dance, climb, and walk backwards. You are very physical, and most people comment on how quick you are. I spend my days chasing after you, as I cannot take my eyes off of you for 2 seconds. If I do, I will find you in the toilet, on the bed or couch, or eating something you are not supposed to. You are in to everything, and want to do whatever we are doing.

You are also really starting to really learn new things. When we change your diaper, you will take your diaper to the kitchen, lift up the lid to the garbage can, and throw it away. You are very proud with this one. When it is time for your vitamin, you will go lay down on the kitchen rug and say "Mmmmm." (We had to start laying you down a few months ago because you were spitting out the vitamin...) When it is time to go outside, you run to your shoes and socks, and sit down with your feet in the air...ready to put them on. When I tell you its time to get in the car, you run to the car (to your door) and wait to get in. You are really understanding a lot these days, and it is starting to show. As for your words? Well, you say dada, hot (in a whisper, as that is how we taught you), mmm (when something tastes good), hey (when someone says hi, you will yell hey back). You don't have many words yet, but we know that those will come in time. You are in no rush to speak (a language we understand). You have your own little language, and you seem to get what you want and need by "talking" and pointing.

Mommy has been only working one day a week, and it has been going so great. Daddy watches you if its a weekend day, and Gma if it is a weekday. During our days together we have so much fun, and go out and do so many things. We head to the museum a lot, go to new parks each week, and lots of play-dates. Since you are so busy, we can go anywhere and you have fun just running around. Your momma feels so lucky and very blessed to be able to be home with you the majority of the time. It is what she always wanted:)

We are looking forward to a very fun-filled fall and winter, and are so fortunate that you are a very happy and healthy little boy.

We love you little monkey G!

Momma & Daddy